News & Reviews

Christmas with the Outlander PHEV – A Review

6th Feb, 2015

By Chris Beckhouse (“Becko”), Triple M Sydney, Afternoons 1-4pm

I got the call that the Outlander PHEV was ready for pickup, or as I called it – “FEV!” Driving through Sydney traffic it was a real shock to the system, no engine noise! The petrol engine didn’t even start from the dealer to my place – amazing!!

So I’m told I have 10 AMP charger, which means I can plug in anywhere and it’ll be ready in 6 hours – overnight for most people.

I headed south to Canberra to pick up the family before driving on to Thredbo. On the highway it’s an impressive car. The electric motor supplements the petrol engine when needed and of course charging when braking or decelerating. I always need a good sound system in a car and had no dramas syncing my iphone with the Outlander system.

The best test on a car is the steep climb out of Jindabyne, it’ll always give you a clue on what’s under the bonnet. The petrol engine was revving with plenty of help from electric, getting up at a normal speed wasn’t a problem.

After a quick charge overnight, we took the PHEV up to Dead Horse Gap and then down to the Murray River – Tom Groggin. With the downhill run keeping up charge, we managed to get about 100km on electric before the battery was empty. The regenerative charging using the paddles, means you can drive it like a manual. It’ll hold the car back on steep downhill runs while charging the battery at a higher rate. Once you master that feature, it’ll really help you get the most out of the car.

Once back in Sydney I got to use “fev” for day to day driving. Typical city traffic, commuting to and from work making use of the charging stations and “green” parking spots, which was handy! The parking on Goulburn St allowed you to use the 15 AMP charger, and free solar power – not bad!

In two weeks of city driving, the petrol engine was barely needed. So cheap to run…..

It really was a pleasure to drive and if I can twist Mitsubishi’s arm to drive the Outlander PHEV again, I’d love to do it all again!